Comets bright at night Casey hosted Nunawading for their second home game in a row under their new lights. Comets are maintaining pressure at the top of the table, whilst Nunawading have been struggling since some turmoil at the club a couple of months ago. Coach Webster had to make changes to the line-up with Adam Ventieri being unavailable and Matt Morris-Thomas carrying an injury. Antun Vulic returned and new signing, Billy Painting, had his first start. The pitch had held up well with all the rain but Comets were kicking into a strong wind in the first half. In an entertaining game, both teams started brightly with the ball skimming across the face of goal at either end. Grant Lane was played in by a great diagonal ball by Jason Rand but unfortunately he wasn’t able to get enough contact on the ball to convert. Frank Gibson hit a free kick which had Robert Barlas making a juggling save. Nunawading forced a save by Robbie Acs, who parried the ball and luckily for Comets a lurking Nunawading player didn’t get to the loose ball. Comets broke from the back third into attack with good distribution by Rand to Gibson, who back heeled the ball to Vulic, who in turn put a tantalising ball across the area but nobody could slot it home. Rand was denied by a finger tip save by Barlas after being played in by Gibson, in another good move. Comets were rewarded for their domination in the 35th minute after John McLuskie played a diagonal ball to Lane, who did well to keep the ball in and cut it back to Gibson, who hit a powerful shot past Barlas. Comets made it two, three minutes later, when Gibson played a free kick with his left foot in from the right to the back post where Chris Reid headed home. Acs was made to make another save close to half time. Half-time: 2-0. Paul Presti could have made it three in early in the second half but lashed his shot wide. Nunawading then took a long throw into the Comets area where a looping header had Acs scrambling to tip the ball onto the bar and then it was cleared. Up the other end Rand hit a left foot shot which Barlas was able to get down and hold onto. The wind subsided and Nunawading were more in the game in the second half and Jason Samargis had a free header which he hit straight at Acs with Reid clearing the loose ball. They scored in the 65th minute when Robert Taylor was found free at the back post by a cross from the right following a good run by Ivan Skorich. Presti was through one on one with Barlas but wasn’t able to beat him. Acs got down well to hold the ball at the other end before Simon Webster played a free kick diagonally to Vulic who shot wide. Barlas then made a double save in injury time by parrying the ball from a looping header with Matt Janson trying to follow it in. Full-time: 2-1. Next game: Comets are away to Old Scotch.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 06:54:38 +0000
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